FROM CAVE WALLS TO CYBERSPACE

History Is Written By Writers: 10 Events That Shaped Our Communication

Credit: Glenn Carstens-Peters

From ancient cave drawings to the digital age, the way we record and convey information has always been at the heart of human culture. Writing not only enabled us to better grasp the world we live in, but also to bridge vast distances of time and space, linking us with our past and our future.

Join us to explore ten pivotal moments in the history of writing. We are about to unravel a captivating tale of human ingenuity and deep cultural transformation.

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Before the dawn of formal writing systems, the earliest forms of communication took shape in the form of cave paintings, petroglyphs, and engraved symbols. These primitive markings served as visual expressions of early human experiences, beliefs, and cultural practices, laying the groundwork for the development of more sophisticated writing systems.

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The birth of cuneiform script in Mesopotamia marks the dawn of recorded history. Developed by the Sumerians around 3500 BCE, this early form of writing consisted of wedge-shaped symbols impressed on clay tablets. This breakthrough technique allowed for the first time the systematic recording of transactions, laws, and even literature.

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One of the earliest known literary works in human history, the Epic of Gilgamesh, also holds the significant honor of being the first heroic narrative ever written. The epic poem recounts the adventures of Gilgamesh, a legendary king of Uruk. Its universal themes of friendship, love, and mortality resonate across millennia, shaping the narrative tradition of storytelling and influencing later literary works (like the Homeric epics).

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The Phoenician alphabet, developed by the ancient Phoenicians around 1100 BCE, represented a monumental leap forward in the history of writing. Unlike earlier writing systems, which primarily relied on logograms or syllabic symbols, the Phoenician alphabet is considered the first purely alphabetic script. Consisting of only 22 consonant letters (vowel sounds were implicit), this early alphabet greatly simplified the process of writing and reading, paving the way for the development of many other alphabetic scripts like Greek, Latin, and Cyrillic.

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The establishment of early universities in medieval Europe played a crucial role in the advancement of writing and literacy. Emerging during the High Middle Ages, institutions such as the University of Bologna, Oxford University, and the University of Paris became centers of learning and intellectual exchange. The rise of universities fostered a culture of scholarship and critical inquiry, fueling the demand for written texts and contributing to the dissemination of knowledge across Europe.

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In the year 1440 CE, German inventor Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized the spread of information with his design for a movable type printing press. With the ability to produce up to 3,600 pages per day, the new printing press enabled for the first time the mass production of books, making the written word accessible to everyone - and not just scholars or the elite. This groundbreaking innovation deeply changed the way information and ideas moved within societies, bringing about social and scientific advances of all kinds.

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Although there were many previous attempts at similar designs, the first typewriter to be commercially successful was patented in 1868 by American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes, with the assistance of a team of printers and mechanical engineers. This mechanical marvel not only streamlined the process of producing documents, making writing faster and more efficient, but also empowered individuals to express themselves freely, revolutionizing both literature and journalism.

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Tim Berners-Lee's creation of the World Wide Web revolutionized how we access and share information. Initially conceived as a "universal linked information system," the web largely democratized access to information and, for the first time in history, offered anyone the possibility of disseminating knowledge on a global scale. The main pillar behind the Information Age, widespread access to the Internet has forever changed the way we think about the world and our societies.

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The advent of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram facilitated instantaneous global connectivity, reshaping how we interact, share ideas, and consume information in the digital age. As of 2015, studies show that there are as many as 4.76 billion social media users in the world, more than half of the total global population.

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Advancements in artificial intelligence, such as OpenAI's GPT models, are currently reinventing the way we write and produce digital content. These AI-powered tools assist writers, automate content generation, and even produce literature, blurring the lines between human and machine creativity. Although the system is still in development, and it is far from perfect, it has the potential to completely change the way we write, or even think about writing!

A COSMIC JEWEL

How Hot Is The Earth's Core? Discover 10 Fun Facts About Our Planet

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From the deep, dark depths of the ocean to the most populated continent and regions with extreme temperatures, our planet offers a range of unique features. And despite our extensive knowledge about it, many discoveries still await us.

Embark with us on this exploratory journey, as we unveil these 10 fun facts about Earth that will captivate you. After all, it is not just a planet; it's our beloved home!

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Despite being a familiar landscape for many, the ocean actually remains a major mystery for humanity.

The ocean, which encompasses about 71% of the Earth's surface, is massive and incredibly deep, so only 5 to 20% of it has been explored.

According to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, more than 90% of species on Earth are in ocean waters. Can you imagine the incredible creatures that inhabit its deepest confines? Some would say it's maybe better to just not know.

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Although the Earth is teeming with numerous species that vary in size and color, there exist corners where life just can't flourish. If you're a summer person, this fact will make you shudder.

Cold can be really annoying, right? Imagine being at -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit! Believe it or not, that is the lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

You probably already guessed where this icy milestone was achieved. That's right, in the frozen Antarctica, back in 1983.

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Let's shift our focus from the freezing regions to discover the hottest part ofEarth: its inner core.

Deep within our planet lies the Earth's inner core, a massive sphere of iron with a radius of about 760 miles and temperatures soaring to a staggering 9,300°F. To put this into perspective, this is similar to the temperature of the solar surface!

Surprisingly, despite the extreme heat, the Earth's inner core remains solid, a fact that can be attributed to the immense pressure exerted upon it.

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There are moments when we wish for more hours in a day to complete our tasks and savor every moment, right? Well, here's some news for you to know: Earth's days are indeed getting longer, with projections indicating they might eventually stretch to 25 hours in the next centuries. However, this is happening very, very slowly.

The lengthening of our days is a consequence of the gradual slowing down of Earth's rotation, a phenomenon attributed to the moon's progressive drift away from our planet. This means that, over a billion years ago, Earth's days were shorter than today!

Credit: NASA

Just as we all go through personal makeovers at different points of our lives, houses, cities, and even the Earth itself experience transformations. However, while it may only take you a few minutes to get a haircut, the Earth's changes occur over much longer periods.

According to the theory of continental drift proposed last century, about 200 million years ago, there were no different continents like today, but a single large landmass: the big Pangea.

The movement of the tectonic plates caused Pangea to gradually fracture and disperse into separate portions of land, which would be the origin of today's continents.

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When discussing continents, it's impossible to overlook Asia, the largest and most populous continent on Earth.

Encompassing some 48 countries (including the two most populous nations on the planet, India and China), Asia hosts 60% of the world's population. That's right, more than half of Earth's inhabitants call this continent home.

So, if you're not a fan of bustling crowds, the Asian continent wouldn't be your ideal vacation spot.

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About 97% of the Earth's water is in the oceans. But that water is saline, which unfortunately means we can't drink it. This leaves us with a mere 3% of freshwater on our planet.

But that is not all; out of that 3%, a significant 2% is locked in glaciers and ice caps, leaving only 1% available for our use.

Don't panic; it's still a substantial amount of water. However, it's crucial that we remain conscientious about conserving and preserving this valuable resource.

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Light travels at an impressive 186,000 mi/sec. Now, that's what we call fast. However, due to the vast distance between the Sun and Earth—some 93 million miles—sunlight takes about 8 minutes to reach our planet.

That means that if the Sun were to suddenly extinguish, aside from the catastrophic consequences that would follow, it would take us about 8 minutes to realize the dire event had occurred.

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We have already talked about water; now it is time to talk about the lack of it. Covering an area of 41,000 square miles in northern Chile, the Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on the planet.

In the Atacama, rainfall is so scant that certain regions have never experienced a single drop in recorded history!

Yes, this place looks like the set of a science fiction movie. But what's truly amazing is that despite its extreme aridity, there are some life forms that inhabit it.

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While we show our love and appreciation for forests, the true masters of oxygen production are beneath the waves. That's right, most of the Earth's oxygen is produced in the oceans.

This large production essential for life is the responsibility of the oceanic plankton. These countless tiny organisms perform photosynthesis, just like plants and trees. They release oxygen into the ocean, and that oxygen then makes its way into the atmosphere, keeping us all breathing.